7 possible Democratic nominees in 2020 – could Oprah win?

Here are seven possible contenders for the 2020 Democratic primary. Could any of them beat Donald Trump?

Bernie Sanders

If it were not for Sanders’ age, I am convinced that he would regularly be labelled as the 2020 “front-runner”. Sanders awoke a progressive bone in the Democratic skeleton and it’s not going to sleep any time soon, but will Sanders be the one to finish what he started or will another progressive take the torch?

A Sanders run is possible, but in 2020 he will be 79 and in 2028 he will be 87, casting doubt on his future.

Elizabeth Warren

This Massachusetts senator is a progressive leader who could continue Sanders’ story. According to Oddschecker, she is the second favourite to take on Trump in 2020. In 2016, Warren did not pick a side in the Clinton-Sanders battle, something which could advantage her by allowing her to bridge the divide that has split the Democratic party. Additionally, she is sound orator and has plenty of intellect. Could she defeat the other candidates?

Joe Biden

Biden did not run in 2016, but 2020 remains a possibility. The former VP has had his gaffes over the year, but Biden would not doubt bring a wealth of experience to the Democratic primaries. However, like Sanders he will be approaching 80 by the next election, and for those looking for break from the past, Biden will not be their top choice. If 2016 was a battle between the establishment and the anti-establishment, a Trump-Biden battle would be no different.

Kamala Harris

Harris only became a senator at the start of last year, but she has caught the media’s eye and is currently the favourite to become the Democratic nominee in 2020, according to Oddschecker. The California senator is a passionate speaker and a former Attorney General, but could she defeat Donald Trump? And would she even run for the presidency?

Cory Booker

Booker’s name is often discussed in hypothetical discussions regarding the 2020 primary process. The former mayor and current New Jersey senator has reasonable name recognition, but how would he cope against big beasts like Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden if they were to run?

Kirsten Gillibrand

Gillibrand represents Hillary Clinton’s former seat in the senate, which she has held since 2010. Two years later she won a staggering 72% of the vote and is standing for re-election later this year. Her name has been mentioned increasingly in discussions about the 2020 contest, recently on CNN, but would she go for it?

Ever since Oprah’s Golden Globes speech, much of the media and the Twittersphere has been buzzing with talk of an Oprah candidacy in 2020, but could Oprah actually become the Democratic nominee? In the age of Donald Trump and Brexit anything is possible.

One interesting point raised in FiveThirtyEight’s recent slack chat was that if the field of candidates is large and broad-ranging, an Oprah candidacy could put her straight in the lead due to name recognition. Obviously, there would be similar effects for Warren, Biden and Sanders, but Oprah would click immediately with Democrats less interested in the ins and outs of Democratic politics.

Richard Wood

Richard Wood is a Masters student in Political Research at the University of Aberdeen and is Head of Media for campaign-group TalkPolitics. Other than politics, he is passionate about travel, running, and writing, as well as all things space-related.